“It is,” Glen said. He looked at Denise. “This is what we both want.”
“Congratulations,” Sandy said. “There’s probably a waitress vacancy at the café if you’re interested.”
Denise shrugged, looking at Tom. “When are they going to let you go home?”
“We have to stay another day and a half,” Tom answered. “You brought my truck didn’t you?”
“Yeah,” Glen answered. “I parked it in the garage, on the third floor. If you don’t like the clothes we brought, you can blame Mildred. She picked them out.”
“I’m sure they’ll be okay,” Sandy said.
Denise swallowed as she looked at them. “I can’t imagine what you went through out there. And knowing that’s what Hornbaker put the others through -.”
“Yeah, well it’s over now,” Glen said.
“Sandy’s always telling me I need to get out and walk more,” Tom said.
“Running for your life qualifies?” Glen asked.
“It was a hell of a walk, let me tell ya,” Tom said. “You got him didn’t ya?”
Glen swallowed and nodded. “Coppola got him. Did he tell ya, I found Lucy Handling locked up in Colton’s house.”
“That padlocked room off the kitchen?” Tom asked.
“Yeah. I asked Colton why that room was padlocked when Kelly and I were there. He said that it was a freezer, but... I thought it looked a little funny for a freezer.”
Tom nodded. “I didn’t ask him about it, but I thought it looked suspicious.”
“It was the first place I checked when I was looking for you and Sandy. Oh, and I found these.” Glen took the watch and necklace from his pocket and handed them to Tom. “As soon as I found your watch and this necklace lying on the table, I knew he’d done something to you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen either one of you not wearing these.”
“You found my necklace!” Sandy gasped, as Tom picked it up. “Thank god, you found it.” She pulled her hair to the side as Tom fastened it around her neck then kissed her.
“Lucy Handling, she’s all right?” Tom asked, putting his watch on.
“Yeah, she’s fine. Colton took real good care of her.”
Sandy looked at Glen. “If you don’t mind me asking about Kelly, is she -?”
“She went back to New York,” Glen said. “Kelly wasn’t happy living here and, well, she and I just didn’t want the same thing. I though she wanted to have family and settle down, but,” Glen shrugged, “I guess I was wrong.”
“You remember what I told you,” Tom said, reaching over and taking Sandy’s hand. “When it’s right, it’s right.” He kissed her hand. “I’m glad Mac got Hornbaker. It’ll save me the trouble of hunting him down.”
Glen swallowed and nodded. “I’m not so sure I approve of the way he got him, but yeah he got him.”
“He’s still alive or -?”
“Yeah, but… I doubt if he’ll never talk again. They used dogs to -.”
A German Shepherd entered the room and Glen jumped at the sight of the dog.
“Rocco!” Sandy exclaimed as the dog walked up to her. “What are you doing here?” She leaned down and wrapped her arms around the dog, as he licked her face.
“You better not expect me to kiss you with those dog germs on you,” Tom said, as Jason and Mac entered.
“How ya doin’, Tom?” Mac asked shaking his hand.
“Good. Good to see you… three.”
“Tom,” Jason greeted and shook his hand. “Glad to see you’re both okay.”
Mac leaned down to Sandy. “I don’t mind dog germs, long as I get to hug a pretty girl. Glad to see you’re both all right.”
“Thank you for everything,” Sandy said.
“Just doin’ my job,” Mac replied.
“So you in for much longer?” Jason asked watching Rocco.
“We’re going home in a couple of days,” Tom answered, as Rocco moved over to him, laying his head on Tom’s lap. “You’ll both have to drop by then,” he said, stoking the dogs head.
“We’ll do that,” Jason motioned toward the German Shepherd. “Rocco searched all over Hornbaker’s place looking for you two. So I thought I better bring him by so that he could see you’re all right.”
Tom nodded, “Glen told me Rocco and his pals got Hornbaker.” Rocco moved back over to Sandy. “He knows a good thing when he sees it.”
“I don’t have any scraps here for you, buddy,” Sandy said, petting the dog.
“We lost one dog, which isn’t too bad,” Mac said. “You know how good Hornbaker was with a rifle. I had Jason turn’em loose. I wasn’t going to rush him and take the chance of losing a man.”
“Hornbaker always liked the thrill of the hunt,” Tom said. “I suppose he went down the way he wanted too.”
Jason raised his eyebrows. “I don’t know about that. But he found out what it was like to be hunted.”
Mac nodded. “We found the remains of those missing girls.”
“All of them?” Tom asked.
“What was left of them anyway,” Glen answered.
“Where were they?”
“Their bones were buried all over his back yard.” Jason answered. “Forensics identified five different bodies, all belonging to females.”
“That isn’t all of them,” Tom said, looking at Glen.
Mac shrugged, “That’s all we found. I imagine the others are dead, we just haven’t recovered their remains. And it’s hard to tell where they’re buried.”
“Bones?” Sandy asked. “What’d he do to them?”
Glen frowned. “You don’t want to know.”
“It’ll make you sick,” Denise added.
“Some of the meat in his locker and some in the café proved to be human,” Mac answered.
“Oh, god,” Sandy exclaimed. “I’m going to be sick.”
“We’re not telling anyone,” Mac said, moving a trash can over to her, in case she needed it. “The news media gets a hold of this and it’ll be nationwide.”
“You won’t have too. Word will get around,’ Tom assured him.
“But it’ll just be local gossip,” Jason said.
“So what’s going to happen to the restaurant now that Hornbaker’s gone?” Sandy asked.
“Colton’s sister, Nora’s going to run it,” Glen answered. “She’s the sole beneficiary of everything, if anything happens to him.”
“Glen told me he was alive,” Tom said.
Jason shrugged, “He’s not doing very good.”
Tom nodded, “Yeah well, he deserved what he got and I don’t feel sorry for him.”
Mac looked at Sandy. “I wouldn’t worry about getting back to work real soon. I imagine it’s going to be closed for awhile.”
“She’s not in any hurry,” Tom said, looking at Sandy. “I think we’re going to get away from here for awhile. Maybe find some beach house somewhere and spend a week.” He looked at Glen. “That means you’re going to be on duty for awhile.
Glen nodded. “Payback’s coming. As soon as you get back it’s our turn,” he said, looking at Denise.
Twenty-Five
Gold lettering glistened on the side of the white pickup as it pulled up in front of the plain wood, rustic building. The large overhang shaded the sprawling front porch. On the front of the building, painted in blue, cursive lettering, it read, ‘Nora’s Place. A white banner spread across the front of the porch advertized, ‘New owner, Newly re-furnished.’
Tom opened the door and stepped out. Taking off his sun glasses, he stretched his five-foot-eleven, as he looked across the highway at the blue hue of the mountain range in the far distance. Putting the sunglasses in his shirt pocket, he took Sandy’s hand as she slid out the driver’s side. Tom walked her up the steps of the café.
Opening the door, a small bell jingled, announcing their entry. They looked around at the newly painted white walls. A mirrored wall decorat
ed the room at the far end of the dining room, and the tables were draped with new white table clothes, all which gave the room a larger look.
“Good to have you back,” Mildred greeted.
“Everything looks so new,” Sandy stated looking around.
“Everything is new,” Mildred said. “Wait till you see the kitchen.”
“What’s with the mirrors on the wall?” Tom asked, looking up at the ceiling.
“No, there isn’t any up there!” Mildred said. “They’re supposed to make the room look bigger. So how was your vacation?”
“Like the honeymoon we never got,” Sandy answered smiling.
“Honey, I have to get to work,” Tom said. “I’ll see you at noon.”
“I look forward to it.”
Tom looked at the mirrors on the wall. “We might have to try out those mirrors,” he turned his back to Mildred and winked at his wife. “I love you.”
Sandy smiled. “I love you. See you later.”
Mildred rolled her eyes as she shook her head and turning, she walked behind the counter. With everything that had happened, not everything had changed.
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